October 30, 2005

Iguala (Guerrero), 30.10.05



GPS Track Video


Photoset Show

GPS Track: GPX (MapSource, et al.) or KMZ (Google Earth)

GPS Cycling Data:







Distance: 183 Km. Ascent: 1645 m. Time: 7:22 hr, Avg Speed: 25.1 Km/hr, Max Speed: 57.4 Km/hr

Travel Report:

Esta rodada fue realizada el pasado domingo 30.10.05, sin embargo, no había sido correctamente documentada. Por tanto la documentamos ahora aprovechando la nueva versión (Beta 4) de Google Earth para hacer que el video luzca súper :-)

Para variar, iniciamos muy tarde, creo que por ahi de las 13:00 hrs (esa mala costumbre de levantarse tarde los domingos). Iniciamos en Gral Anaya, al sur de la Ciudad de México, sobre Tlalpan. Tomamos todo Tlalpan hasta el Monumento al Caminero y luego nos seguimos por la autopista a Cuernavaca. Sin mayores problemas llegamos a La Cima (Km 46) y de ahí derecho hasta Cuernavaca, previa parada en el Mirador de la Pera para tomar unas fotos de la hermosa vista.

Continuamos hasta Xochitepec donde hicimos un corto descanso, pudiendo constatar que el calor venía en serio. Es en Xochitepec (Cerro de las Flores) donde hay muchos puestos de flores a la orilla de la carretera. Seguimos adelante y llegamos a la caseta de Alpuyeca, donde pudimos comprobar que hacía un soberano calor (la ventaja de los descensos es que no sientes el calor, pero en cuanto te detienes parece que entras a un horno).

Tomamos la desviación hacia Puente de Ixtla, siguiéndonos derecho hasta Amacuzac, pues el tiempo apremia. En Amacuzac comí algo en una gasolinería y nos planteamos la disyuntiva sobre si continuamos o no con la ruta hasta Iguala, pues era ya muy tarde (aprox las 17:00 hrs). Además, Amacuzac representa el punto de no retorno, pues más adelante sólo queda la montaña, y ya no hay poblados grandes sino hasta Iguala.

Pues haciendo acopio de valor (o de necedad), nos lanzamos a la aventura, y decidimos cruzar la montaña, a pesar de lo tarde que era. Justo cuando el sol se metió, cruzamos la frontera con el estado de Guerrero. Por fin, atrás de nosotros quedaba Morelos. Sin embargo, aún nos falta continuar con el ascenso de la montaña.

Es ya de noche cuando llegamos a un pueblo llamado Zacapalco. Comemos algo allí y continuamos. La ventaja de que ya cayó la noche es que ya no hace calor :-) Pasamos la desviación a Buenavista. Llegamos por fin a la desviación a Tuxpan, donde termina el ascenso. Sin embargo, ahora comienza lo mas peligroso, 500 metros de descenso (altitud): de noche, solo y sin luces ! Misión suicida ! Justo como la que la otra vez hice al bajar de regreso de Llano Grande (en la autopista a Puebla) hacia el DF, también de noche, solo y sin luces (y con un frío de temperaturas sub-cero), pero esa será una historia a relatar en otra ocasión :-)

Y bueno, me dije: tomo o no el camión para el descenso y me respondí: no, si podemos :-) Comencé a bajar con cuidado, guiándome tan sólo con los faros de los carros que venían de frente, aunque también me deslumbraban (pues la carretera era de doble sentido, sin malla enmedio). De pronto que me rebasa un camión carguero de esos viejitos, que apenas y se les veían los cuartos. Y que me le pego ! Gracias a ese camioncito de carga pude bajar ya sin problemas, pues el camión me tapaba las luces de los autos de enfrente, además de que por sus cuartos ya me veían los autos de atrás. De esta manera pude llegar sano y salvo a la caseta de Iguala que está al terminar el descenso :-)

Entré pues a la ciudad de Iguala por ahi de las 21 hrs, pasando al centro a tomar fotos. De hecho inclusive me dió tiempo de presenciar una noche de fiesta en el Kiosko del centro, así como la exposición de ofrendas de muertos :-) Cené algo y me dirigí a la terminal del Estrella de Oro para tomar el autobús de regreso a México.

Allí continuó la diversión, pues ya no había camiones a México (el último creo que sale a las 19:00 hrs) ... Tuve que esperarme en la terminal (muy cómoda por cierto, y donde nos dejaron dormitar tranquilos) a que llegara un autobús de paso que venía del puerto de Acapulco (por ahi de las 03:00 hr), pero que siendo directo, me trajo sin escalas al DF, sin tener que hacer transbordo en Cuernavaca. Lo bueno es que traía lugares :-)

Gracias por leer. Hasta el próximo viaje.

October 23, 2005

Chalma (Mexico), 23.10.05



Photoset Show


GPS Cycling Data: Distance: 102 Km, Ascent: 1661 m, Time: 4:40 hr, Avg. Speed: 20.8 Km/hr, Max. Speed: 61.1 Km/hr.

Travel Report:

This ride started from the western Metro terminal Observatorio. From here I took Minas de Arena and then the road to the paid highway to Toluca. On my way I passed by Santa Fe, a beautiful corporate business quarter in the western sector of Mexico City. You can have a look at the beautiful buildings there at the following photoset.

After Santa Fe stands the junction were the paid and the free highway to Toluca diverge. As this ride belongs to the set related to my humble beginnings as a cyclist, I choosed to ride along the paid highway, since on those days I felt comfortable only if I could ride on the side lane of a paid highway. Nowadays I do prefer the free highways :-)

Along the road there is an enormous bridge that stands over a big ravine, populated nonetheless by people at the bottom of it. The green colors of the grass covering that ravine made the vista an idyllic one.

I do remember now that just a little before I arrived at the summit I had already run out of water. As I was really thirsty, I had to rely on the water that filters across the mountains in order to drink a little of it. Fortunately, this fresh water is pure and crystalline, so it represented no problem for me drinking it as it filtered out of the mountain walls that bordered the paid highway.

After reaching the summit I descended 200 m (altitude wise) arriving at La Marquesa recreation park. In this park a lot of families and tourists decide to spend its Sunday in order to have picnics parties. A little boring for my taste, if you mind :-)

From La Marquesa I took the road to Malinalco, since it was planned to visit the Malinalco Archaeological Site before proceeding to Chalma.

Crossing the mountain that stands before reaching Joquincingo probed to be a considerable test to my then-condition :-) But after this hill, the road probed to be an idyllic one. Just green hills and a descending road. Some photos of this beautiful landscape between Joquincingo and Malinalco can be seen in the photoset. After Joquincingo the road turned itself into one of pure descent all the way to Malinalco.

At my arrival at Malinalco one fact that captured my attention was a black wooden cross, erected in one corner of the atrium church. I don't have the exact time I arrived at Malinalco, but it was too late to visit the archaeological site (it closed at 16:00). I decided then to follow my route, this time to Chalma, some kilometers along the road that had taken me to Malinalco.

At my arrival at Chalma, I decided to immediately go downwards to the Chalma sanctuary, down in the middle of the town. That descent over stairways can only be walked, not rode. As it was again too late to find the shrine open, I had to live with fact that I was only going to be able to take some pictures of my bike, in front of the shrine, but with its doors closed :-(

I hope to be able to re-make soon this route, in order to know the inside of that famous Chalma shrine. In the atrium church I could still find some photographers with its wooden horses for the kids photos.

Roaming a little along the town of Chalma, I could observe that there were several swimming pools and a big river. I hope some day I could submerge in one of them (either the swimming pools or the river), as the heat in this religious sanctuary is barely bearable.

On my way to the bus station of Chalma, I visited the local market, although in fact, the whole town is an enormous market. A lot of religious items are sold, from images to wooden crosses. Being myself an atheist, I declare myself an ignorant about the meaning and purposes of such a variety of religious items.

I boarded the return bus back home, arriving safe and sound at Mexico City a couple of hours later.

PS: In the photoset I have added some very interesting photographs that were taken in Chalma that same day by my wife, but with the advantage that they were taken several hours before (as my wife was not cycling to arrive at Chalma). In this way, the new photos show the Chalma church open, its interiors and most importantly: the arrival of an indigenous religious pilgrimage to the Chalma sanctuary. These photos are also available in the above mentioned photoset.

Thank you for reading. Till the next journey.

October 16, 2005

Chalcatzingo Archaeological Site (Morelos), 16.10.05



GPS Track Video


Photoset Map

Photoset Show

GPS Track: GPX (MapSource, et al.) or KMZ (Google Earth)

GPS Cycling Data:






Distance: 130 Km. Ascent: 1104 m. Time: 5:12 hr, Avg Speed: 24.9 Km/hr, Max Speed: 61.3 Km/hr


Travel Report:

La Zona Arqueológica de Chalcatzingo, en el estado de Morelos. se encuentra casi en la frontera con el estado de Puebla. Para llegar a ella, debemos tomar la carretera que une a Cuautla (Mor) con Izúcar de Matamoros (Pue). Esta rodada se realizó el pasado domingo 16.10.05.

Comezamos a rodar en Taxqueña (DF), tomando Tlalpan y luego la autopista a Cuernavaca. Pasamos la caseta y seguimos hacia La Cima (Km 46, alt: 3,050 m snm). De ahí ya todo es bajada hasta un poco antes de Cuautla :-). Después de La Pera, tomamos la desviación a Cuautla, pasando por el conocido poblado de Tepoztlán. La ventaja de ir bajando es que el calor no se sentía. Sin embargo, unos 7 km antes de Cuautla, se acaba el descenso y entramos como a una "olla" donde no hay viento. Esto hizo que el calor aumentara :-(.

A nuestro paso por Cuautla tomamos unas fotos y seguimos por la carretera que va a Izúcar de Matamoros, en Puebla (visita que por cierto tenemos pendiente). La ruta en este tramo está hecha prácticamente de puros columpios. Tomamos la desviación a Jonacatepec, pero antes de llegar a este pueblo, tomamos la desviación a Chalcatzingo.

Este singular pueblo es la antesala de la Zona Arqueológica, sin embargo, aún debemos de rodar varios kilómetros sobre puro empedrado para accesar a la ZA. Sin embargo, ya una vez en ella, la vista, el paisaje y los descubrimientos arqueológicos son extraordinarios :-)

Gracias por leer. Hasta el próximo viaje.

October 09, 2005

Queretaro (Queretaro), 09.10.05


Photoset Show


GPS Cycling Data:
Distance: 203.8 Km, Ascent: 1294 m, Time: 7:59 hr, Avg. Speed: 25.5 Km/hr, Max. Speed: 60.1 Km/hr.

Travel Report:


With this ride I would close a cycle that involves ten cycling rides that I would term as my beginning cycling rides. These ten cycling rides represent my first solo cycling rides, performed to know ten different cities around Mexico City and the road conditions of the routes needed to arrived at them.

The destinations of theses ten beginners cycling rides were: Cuernavaca, Morelos (70 km); Tlalmanalco, Mexico State (60 km); Amecameca, Mexico State (38 km); Tula, Hidalgo (78 km); Xochitepec, Morelos (94 km); Pachuca, Hidalgo (87 Km); Toluca, Mexico State (60 km); Puebla, Puebla (112 km); Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala (104 km); and Querétaro, Querétaro (204 km).

As you could probably infere, I was trying to test me, cycling solo, to the cities that surround Mexico City (Mexico capital), in all four directions: north, south, east and west. I was also trying to advance in each ride the number of kilometers cycled along the route, and also the total ascent required to complete each ride. I mean: I was trying to adapt to longer and higher rides, between Mexico City and its surrounding cities.

As I was a novice knowing by first hand those inter-cities routes, I was extremely pleased with what I was doing :-) In fact, I miss now that novice happiness, because when I ride again that very same routes, I don't feel as happy as in my novice years :-( But I guess, that is the way life is !

Once I finished this ten cycling ride novice cycle, I changed my kind of destinations. I started to prefer visiting archaeological sites, dispersed in the states that surround Mexico City. But that is another story :-)

Let's talk about this cycling ride to Querétaro ! The ride started in the north-western Metro terminal of El Rosario, in Mexico City. I avoided the Periferico, and instead choosed to ride the free highway to Cuautitlán. At the thermoelectric power plant of Lechería I merged myself with the (paid) highway to Querétaro, reaching soon the toll collect station of Tepoztlán. Passing Coyotepec, wonderful vistas and landscapes can be appreciated along the route.

After Tepeji del Rio comes a steep ascent towards Jilotepec, agravated by the desert-like temperature conditions of the environment along this northern route.

After Jilotepec I arrived at the toll collect station of Palmillas. A recent rain had already fallen on this region, Fortunately, all I saw of the rain was the water on the pavement :-) After the last toll station, the side lane of the highway had morphed in an incredible cement lane ! Just as the main (car) lanes in the highway ! It is not required to say that this change of terrain made us cycling faster :-)

Passing by San Juan del Río, the terrain is relatively plain. So, it helped us advancing faster. This probed to be a helpful aid, since Queretaro is located mote than 200 km away from Mexico City.

Cycling a little more I arrived with no big problem finally at Queretaro ! My wife was already waiting for me at the Kiosk in the center of the city :-)

We took a lot of photographies of the city of the beautiful city of Querétaro, between that day and the next (as we decided to stay another day in the city). All those photos are shown in the following photoset.

Thank you for reading. Till the next travel.

October 02, 2005

Tlaxcala (Tlaxcala), 02.10.05


Photoset Show

GPS Cycling Data: Distance: 103.2 Km, Ascent: 1140 m, Time: 4:50 hr, Avg. Speed: 21.2 Km/hr, Max. Speed: 58 Km/hr.

Travel Report:

This ride started at the eastern sub-urban train terminal La Paz. From there I took the paid highway to Puebla, leaving it at the Texmelucan deviation. From Texmelucan I took the paid highway to Tlaxcala, in what probed to be an expensive mistake (time wise), as for when I arrived at the toll collect station of this highway to Tlaxcala, I was not allowed to cross the station, not even paying the fee as a car ! What the hell ! I was obliged to circle the toll station by the country-side. This turn around costed me more than an hour, since there was no easy way to circumvent that station.

Once I could find again the highway to Tlaxcala, it was a piece of cake arriving at Tlaxcala. A gentle rain was my companion in this last leg of this journey to Tlaxcala.

After a short walk around the center of the city, having a look at its beautiful buildings, which include the Cathedral and the Government Palace, my wife (who had arrived before me as she was not cycling) and I decided to dinner at the Portales of the city, in a restaurant whose taste probed to be an exquisite one :-) You can have a glimpse of those beautiful colonial buildings in the center of Tlaxcala at the following photoset.

Thank you for reading. Till the next travel.